If There Were No WNBA...

It is hard to imagine what the sports world would be like without
the WNBA. But ten years later, here we are, stronger than ever. The league has
opened new doors for women's basketball players, female athletes and even non-athletes
striving to make a difference in the world and in their own lives. But after asking
both WNBA players and even a few league officials what they would be doing now
if not a part of this league, we're just glad they are able to do what they love...

Tamika
Catchings, Indiana Fever "There's no telling where I would be.
I think I always try to position myself, and looking at life after basketball,
even before when I was in college. Even if I wasn't playing, I'm fortunate the
WNBA is here, I'd probably be playing overseas, and missing the opportunity of
being able to play in front of my family and having my friends come and all of
that."

Swin Cash,
Detroit ShockI would probably be getting my master's degree and getting
involved with some way to support women. I'm a big advocate for business, as well,
and entrepreneurship. I'd probably be building group homes for women.

Lisa
Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks"If there was no WNBA, I'd probably
be managing my own company. I also might be doing broadcasting or managing my
own lines."

Brad Barnett, Special Project Coordinator for the President,
WNBA league office"I would be a struggling golf professional on the
Nationwide Tour. I would own a mini-van and eat alot of fast food, gaining 20
pounds in the process. I would own a one bedroom apartment in Raleigh, NC with
barely any furniture. I would struggle with my mechanics and never make a cut
and then return to Long Island and work as an Assistant Club Pro at Cherry Valley.
Thank god for the W!!"

Becky
Hammon, New York Liberty "I would probably be coaching somewhere,
somehow involved with sports, either in the media, or broadcasting, doing something
like that, staying involved in the game.

Lisa Harrison, retired WNBA
playerWhen I graduated from college, there was no WNBA, so I worked from
9-5 for three years. I worked for BIKE athletic company, and once the ABL started,
so I quit my job to go back home and started training and made that league. Then
it folded and I joined the WNBA. But I have worked.

Katie
Smith, Detroit Shock"I'd probably be in dental school or finished
with dental school and tearing people's mouths up."

Betty
Lennox, Seattle Storm"I think I would probably be working with
kids, either teaching them how to play basketball or even just how to be a responsible
individual and to be a positive role model in every aspect."

Niele
Ivey, former Detroit Shock and Phoenix Mercury player "I don't know
where I would be, it seems like basketball has been my whole world. Probably coaching,
I'm coaching right now but that's just something I do in the offeseason, maybe
I would be more involved with coaching, or I could have dipped into the entertainment
field earlier."

Tom Tedesco, Senior Manager, Basketball Operations"If
there was no WNBA I probably would have gotten into coaching. Breaking through
as a director of Basketball Operations at a random far off land like Starkville,
MS. Then I would have bounced around the coaching ranks with the stability that
the profession gives you! I know a more exciting answer would be Chippendale."

Kelly
Miller, Phoenix MercuryWow, I have no idea. I was a bio/pre-med major
so I might have been a doctor or something like that?"

Teresa Weatherspoon,
WNBA and Basketball legend"I think we all probably would be pursuing
our careers overseas playing professional basketball there because that's the
only thing we had during that time of trying to pursue a professional career playing,
which you can only say positive things about because it led you to still be able
to play in this league, and probably from there, once I decided not to play overseas
anymore, probably do what I'm doing now, something educational with children."

Nikki
McCray, Chicago Sky"I can't even imagine. I guess I would probably
be playing somewhere overseas, but I think it's great that we have the league
and I don't have to worry about it."

Angela Taylor, Senior Manager
Player Personnel Dept"Well as a small town Idaho girl, I never dreamed
I would have been able to live in the big city for roughly 10 years. So without
the WNBA, I probably would just be starting to consider taking my first trip to
the NYC. I possibly would be deciding between bringing a Jamba Juice franchise
to Boise or working for a 'big name' consulting firm."

Ruth
Riley, Detroit Shock "I would love to play professional volleyball;
I live in Miami so get an opportunity to cross train a lot, so I think that would
be a lot of fun."

Matt Wurst, Editor, Interactive Services"If
there were no WNBA for me to write about, I imagine I'd be driving around California
in a dusty old Oldsmobile, trying to sell a really bad screenplay about three
talking elephants who run a hot dog stand by day, and waiting tables at a 1950's-style
roller-skating drive-in restaurant out in the valley by night."